Intermediate school in court hearing

Education Minister Anne Tolley. Photo / File

The former Education Minister Anne Tolley was not given all the information from Kawerau Intermediate and its community before making a decision to close the school, the High Court at Rotorua has heard.

The fight to prevent the school from closing has reached the High Court, with a hearing between Kawerau Intermediate and the Minister of Education School Board of Governors starting today.

The school has been fighting a decision made last year by the then Education Minister to close the intermediate and Kawerau College, and open a dual campus Years 7-13 school on the Kawerau College site.

Among around 20 people in the public gallery was former Kawerau Intermediate pupil and New Zealand's Next Top Model winner Danielle Hayes.

Representing Kawerau Intermediate, Mark Hammond told Justice Mark Woolford the minister did not have enough information to make the decision.

He also spoke about the serious safety concerns relating to intermediate-aged children being sent to a school with older children, behavioural issues and gang problems. The hearing is continuing.